Structure of embedded active components and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A structure of embedded active components and the manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing steps involve providing a molding plate, and setting several active components on the molding plate as first. A dielectric layer covers the molding plate to cap the active components. An electric circuit is formed on the dielectric layer, in contact with the active components. Finally, the structure with embedded active components is released from the molding plate.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 93135743 filed in Taiwan on Nov. 19,2004, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to a package structure and the manufacturingmethod thereof. In particular, it relates to a structure of embeddedactive components and the method of making the same.

2. Related Art

In order to create larger space and to enhance the functions of themodule within a limited substrate area, shrunk or embedded passivecomponents are often used to minimize the circuit layout and to reducethe signal transmission distance. Thus, more space is left forinstalling active components and enhancing the overall performance.Therefore, substrates with passive components such as embeddedresistors, capacitors, and inductors are developed.

In order to more effectively minimize the packaging of the components,methods of embedding active components (such as IC chips) on a substratehave been developed. The substrate with an embedded IC module asdisclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,033 has a plurality of chipsinstalled thereon. A molding plate is first used to enclose the chips tobe the embedded components. A molding material then covers the chipsusing the conventional molding method. The chips are thud embedded inthe molding material after curing. However, this method completes thewhole process of embedding components on the substrate. It is likely todamage other components not to be embedded. The finished substrate isnot flexible and has limited applications.

In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,958, a transferring manufacturing method forthe flexible IC components is teached. A semiconductor substrate withsilicon on insulator (SOI) structure is provided to form the required ICthereon. An adhesive layer is used to attach another flexible substrateon the IC. Finally, etching is employed to remove the semiconductorsubstrate, thereby transferring the IC onto the surface of the flexiblesubstrate.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, an objective of the invention is to provide astructure of embedded active components and the method of making thesame. By forming an embedded structure with multiple active components,the alignment problem in subsequent packaging can be solved. Moreover,the active components are electrically tested. Therefore, the inventioncan effectively increase the product yield.

The disclosed method for making the structure of embedded activecomponents includes the steps of; providing a molding plate; disposingwith alignment a plurality of active components on the molding plate;covering a dielectric layer on the molding plate to cap the activecomponents; making a circuit on the dielectric layer, in contact withthe active components; and releasing the dielectric layer embedded withthe active components from the molding plate.

The dielectric layer may be a polymer layer. The step of making acircuit on the dielectric layer can be performed by forming a pluralityof conductive holes connecting to the active components on thedielectric layer and then forming the circuit passing through theconductive hole.

The invention further discloses a structure of embedded activecomponents, which comprises a dielectric layer, a plurality of activecomponents, and a circuit. The active components are embedded into thedielectric layer. The circuit is installed on the dielectric layer andconnected to the active components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more fully understood from the detaileddescription given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are notlimitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the disclosed method;

FIGS. 2A to 2F are schematic cross-sectional views of the manufacturingprocess according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The steps of the disclosed method are shown in FIG. 1. First, a moldingplate is provided (step 110). Several active components are disposedwith alignment on the molding plate (step 120). A dielectric layer isdeposited on the molding plate (step 130) to cover the activecomponents. A circuit is made on the dielectric layer (step 140), incontact with the active components. Finally, the molding plate isremoved (step 150), releasing the dielectric layer with embedded activecomponents from the molding plate. One then obtains a structure ofembedded active components.

When the dielectric layer is a polymer layer, it can be a preprocessedor existing polymer layer, such as the Ajinomoto build-up film (ABF) orthe resin coated copper foil (RCC). The above process also includes thestep of embossing to embed active components into the polymer layer orthe step of coating a polymer solution followed by curing to form thedielectric layer. The latter includes the steps of: covering a polymersolution on the active components by spraying, spin-coating, orprinting; and curing the polymer solution to form a polymer layer.

Step 140 in FIG. 1 makes a circuit on the insulator. Several conductiveholes connecting to the active components are first formed on thedielectric layer, followed by forming the circuit passing through theconductive holes.

The process in an embodiment of the invention is further described indetail with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2F.

As shown in FIG. 2A, a metal mold-departing layer 210 is deposited on amolding plate 200. The molding material can be Teflon that can bereadily removed from the molding plate. The mold-departing layer can bemade of any other material with a similar property.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the active components 220 are disposed withalignment on the molding plate 200.

As shown in FIG. 2C, a polymer layer 300 is coated on the molding plate200 as a dielectric layer to cover the active components. The polymerlayer is cured according to the properties of the selected polymer.

As shown in FIG. 2D, several conductive holes 310 connecting to theactive components 220 are formed on the polymer layer 300. Theconductive holes 310 can be formed using laser, etching, or directexposure. The conductive holes 310 are further processed by desmearing.

As shown in FIG. 2E, a metal layer 230 is deposited on the polymer layer300.

Photolithography is employed to transfer the required pattern onto themetal layer 230, forming the circuit with the conductive holes thereon.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 2F, the molding plate is released from thepolymer layer 300 embedded with active components 220 to form astructure of embedded active components.

The structure of embedded active components formed using the process ofthe disclosed embodiment is shown in FIG. 2F to contain the polymerlayer 300, the active components 220, and the circuit. The activecomponents 220 are embedded in the polymer layer 300. The circuit isformed on the polymer layer 300 and connected to the active components220 via the conductive holes.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention. The above-mentioned structure of embedded active componentscan be implanted with soldering balls 240 at the contact points of thecircuit for subsequent electrical connections.

The disclosed structure of embedded active components can be installedwith an arbitrary substrate, such as the semiconductor substrate,flexible substrate, or glass substrate. Since the active components havefixed relative positions, only one alignment is required to fix thepositions of all the active components. This can greatly lower thedifficulty in subsequent processes and increase the product yield.

Certain variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art, whichvariations are considered within the spirit and scope of the claimedinvention.

1. A method of making a structure of embedded active components,comprising the steps of: providing a molding plate; disposing withalignment a plurality of active components on the molding plate;covering a dielectric layer on the molding plate to cap the activecomponents; forming an electrical circuit on the dielectric layer to bein electrical communications with the active components; and releasingthe dielectric layer embedded with the active components from themolding plate.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer isa polymer layer.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the polymer layer isselected from the group consisting of Ajinomoto build-up film (ABF) andresin coated copper foil (RCC).
 4. The method of claim 2 furthercomprising the step of embedding the active components into the polymerlayer by embossing.
 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step ofcovering a dielectric layer on the molding plate contains the steps of:covering a polymer solution on the active components; and curing thepolymer solution.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of coveringa polymer solution on the active components is implemented using amethod selected from spraying, spin-coating, and printing.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein the step of forming an electrical circuit on thedielectric layer includes: forming a plurality of conductive holesconnecting to the active components on the dielectric layer; and formingan electrical circuit passing through the conductive holes.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the conductive holes are formed by a methodselected from laser drilling, exposure and developing, and etching. 9.The method of claim 7, wherein the step of forming an electrical circuitpassing through the conductive holes includes the steps of: depositing ametal layer on the dielectric layer; and employing photolithography totransfer a required pattern to the metal layer to form the electricalcircuit.
 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step ofdesmearing the conductive holes.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein thematerial of the molding plate if Teflon.
 12. The method of claim 1,wherein the molding plate contains a mold-separating layer.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the mold-separating layer is a metalmold-separating layer.
 14. The method of claim 1 further comprising thestep of implanting soldering balls at contact points of the electricalcircuit.
 15. A structure of embedded active components, comprising: adielectric layer; a plurality of active components embedded in thedielectric layer; and an electrical circuit installed on the dielectriclayer and in electrical communications with the active components. 16.The structure of embedded active components as in claim 13, wherein thedielectric layer is a polymer layer.
 17. The structure of embeddedactive components as in claim 13, wherein the dielectric layer has aplurality of conductive holes for the electrical circuit to connect tothe active components.
 18. The structure of embedded active componentsas in claim 13 further comprising a plurality of soldering ballsinstalled at contact points of the electrical circuit.